Letter: Tavern League SafeRide works

The Tavern League of Wisconsin is pleased to announce a record number of SafeRides were given by Tavern League members throughout the state from 2014-2015.

Member establishments provided 85,413 free rides home to their patrons, resulting in an increase of 3,096 rides over the previous year. Here in Manitowoc County, 3,040 rides were provided by local TLW members.

Thanks in part to the SafeRide program, Wisconsin has witnessed a 28 percent decline in OWI convictions since 2004 and nearly a 50 percent decline in alcohol related fatalities since 2003. During that same period, the number of SafeRides provided increased 150 percent, while expanding operations to 62 Wisconsin counties.

The cost of the program last year was nearly $1 million, half of which was paid for by the OWI surcharge and the other half funded by TLW members.

According to TLW Executive Director Pete Madland, the program’s status as the largest in the country is due to the TLW members.

For more about SafeRide, visit www.tlw.org and click on the SafeRide link.